Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive Dimensions of Storytelling: Exploring Thai EFL University Students’ Attitudes through Mixed-Methods Analysis

Authors

  • Henry E. Lemana II Research Center for Language Teaching and Learning, Walailak University 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161, Thailand
  • Wei Lun Wong Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Temuan, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Zachary D. Suarez School of Liberal Arts, Walailak University, 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161, Thailand
  • Crizjale V. Ahmad College of Criminal Justice Education, Sultan Kudarat State University, Barangay EJC Montilla, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat 9800, Philippines
  • Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Bangunan Ipsi, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2025.3.797.817

Keywords:

Storytelling, English as a Foreign Language, attitudes, ABC model, Thai university students

Abstract

Aim. Storytelling as a pedagogical tool has been studied extensively in early education, but its role in shaping university English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ attitudes in Southeast Asia remains underexplored. This study investigated Thai EFL university students’ attitudes towards storytelling as a pedagogical tool (SATSPT) in the affective, behavioural and cognitive domains and whether there were differences regarding the students’ school affiliation and proficiency levels.

Methods. An explanatory sequential research design was adopted through the administration of quantitative surveys that measured the affective, behavioural and cognitive dimensions of attitudes towards SATSPT using the ABC model. The sample consisted of 3,207 first year university students. Then, qualitative interviews were conducted among ten selected students with various levels of English proficiency and from different faculties to further explain their attitudes.

Results. Findings show generally positive attitudes with respect to affective (M=3.70), behavioural (M=3.62) and cognitive (M=3.76) domains. Cognitive perceptions were strong. It indicated how effective storytelling is for vocabulary acquisition and linguistic understanding. Affective outcomes included excitement and engagement, but limited reduction in anxiety in speaking tasks. Behaviourally, storytelling elicited strong in-class participation but little voluntary engagement beyond formal venues. The test of ANOVA proved no existence of significant difference on attitudes among faculties (p=0.357) but significant differences among different English proficiency levels (p=0.017). It implies the necessity for differentiated instructional strategies.

Conclusion. By employing an ABC model to explain multidimensional student attitudes towards storytelling, this study brings considerable empirical development both to Asian EFL higher education pedagogy and to conceptions of storytelling within proficiency-based learning.

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Author Biographies

  • Henry E. Lemana II, Research Center for Language Teaching and Learning, Walailak University 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161, Thailand

    English as a Foreign Language lecturer at the School of Languages and General Education of Walailak University in Thailand, holds extensive international academic experience in the Philippines, UAE, and Thailand. With a PhD in Applied Linguistics achieved at a remarkably young age, he now pursues an EdD in Educational Management and Leadership. He has taught at all educational levels, from elementary to post-graduate, and his research interests encompass discourse studies, sociolinguistics, language education, and educational management.

  • Wei Lun Wong, Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Temuan, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at The National University of Malaysia. His research specialisations encompass Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), corpus linguistics, applied linguistics, and educational research.

  • Zachary D. Suarez, School of Liberal Arts, Walailak University, 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161, Thailand

    Lecturer in the English Department in the School of Liberal Arts at Walailak University. He is a member of the Center of Excellence on Women and Social Security at Walailak University. His research interests consist of modernist and contemporary literature, literary theory, experimental literature, digital media studies and poetry. 

  • Crizjale V. Ahmad, College of Criminal Justice Education, Sultan Kudarat State University, Barangay EJC Montilla, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat 9800, Philippines

    Full-time lecturer in the College of Criminal Justice Education and a doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Institutional Development and Management at Sultan Kudarat State University. Concurrently, she holds the role of University Accreditation Chairperson. Her research centers on institutional excellence and e-governance, with a track record of quantitative research publications in the fields of social sciences and management.

  • Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh, Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Bangunan Ipsi, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

    Lecturer and researcher in English language education at Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Education. Her research focus spans computer-assisted language learning, digital pedagogy and flipped learning. She has garnered international acclaim, receiving the Pearson ELT Teacher Award (Asia–Oceania, 2017) and the EduTECH Asia Award for Best Use of In-Class Technology (2017). Most recently, she was honoured with the Emerging Scholar Award (2025) from Common Ground Research Networks, USA. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and serves on the editorial boards of several international academic periodicals.

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Published

2025-09-23

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Section

EXPRESSION

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Copyright (c) 2025 Henry E. Lemana II, Wei Lun Wong, Zachary D. Suarez, Crizjale V. Ahmad, Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh

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How to Cite

E. Lemana II, H. ., Wong, . W. L., Suarez, Z. D., Ahmad, C. V., & Jageer Singh, A. K. . (2025). Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive Dimensions of Storytelling: Exploring Thai EFL University Students’ Attitudes through Mixed-Methods Analysis. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 16(2), 797-817. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2025.3.797.817